26-04-2025
How can Arizona mines produce key minerals and not harm the environment?
After the U.S. imposed new tariffs, China responded by restricting exports of several rare earth minerals critical to American defense and medical technologies.
To protect national security, the U.S. must produce more of these minerals domestically, panelists at the Society of Environmental Journalists said April 25 at their 2025 conference in Tempe.
Securing critical minerals like copper, zinc and manganese inside the U.S. is now seen as a top priority, with minerals needed for a vast range of electric devices.
While mining is necessary for national security and maintaining domestic supply chains, the panelists said, the mining industry also needs to address environmental concerns and Indigenous rights.
Arizona is at the center of America's mineral future.
The Hermosa Project, operated by South32 in the Patagonia Mountains southeast of Tucson, is one of the few advanced mining projects in the U.S. focused on critical minerals like manganese and zinc.
"What we have is one of the largest undeveloped deposits of zinc in the world, co-located with a high-purity, battery-grade manganese deposit on the same site," said Pat Risner, president of South32 Hermosa, noting some of the project's environmental advantages. "We'll use 90% less water than a typical mining operation.'
At the same time, Arizona's heavy legacy from past mining — abandoned mines, contaminated water and damaged ecosystems — remains an important backdrop.
Strong environmental protections must guide new projects, said Misael Cabrera, director of the University of Arizona's School of Mining and Mineral Resources.
"There are very few countries that have environmental laws, and even fewer that enforce them. But we have environmental laws, and we enforce them," he said.
Panelists agreed that developing domestic mines is necessary, but it must not come by weakening environmental laws. Cabrera said delays in mining projects often come from administrative slowdowns, not stricter environmental rules.
"Speeding up permitting isn't about skipping protections," he said. "It's about cutting dead time where nothing happens."
They also discussed new executive orders from President Donald Trump aimed at fast-tracking mining permits. But panelists warned that even with those orders, companies must still fully build an administrative record that can hold up in court.
"No executive order can erase those laws," Cabrera said. "And companies know if they cut corners, they'll be challenged in court."
There are concerns from local communities, tribes and conservation groups regarding new mining projects. Water use, endangered species and tribal sovereignty remain big issues.
China controls much of the mineral processing needed for clean energy and advanced technologies, panelists said.
Melissa Sanderson, director at American Rare Earths, an international mining company, warned that even if the U.S. government tried to fast-track mining through emergency powers, new mines would still take years to build.
"Even with all the necessary resources, you don't get a mine overnight," she said, noting that new projects may not be ready until 2029.
She called the current situation a "huge window of vulnerability" for the U.S., especially if it fails to coordinate efforts with international partners.
She added that the U.S. needs to work with allies like the European Union and Canada to build independent processing capacity.
"We can't go it alone, but we can go together with allies and friends," she said.
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Tufan Neupane is a graduate student of journalism at Arizona State University and is part of a student newsroom led by The Arizona Republic.
Coverage of the Society of Environmental Journalists conference is supported by Arizona State University's Cronkite School of Journalism, the University of Arizona and the Arizona Media Association.
These stories are published open-source for other news outlets and organizations to share and republish, with credit and links to
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Can Arizona mines produce key minerals and not harm the environment?
